Terms and Conditions
By accepting our services or purchase of goods, you the client contractually agree to the Terms of Business as detailed below. Some aspects of these terms and conditions may not be relevant to you however if you need a further explanation or clarification, please do not hesitate to call us.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND VETERINARY CARE
Veterinary services are provided in accordance with professional standards and clinical judgement. We may decline or discontinue treatment where animal welfare, staff safety, facilities, or payment terms are not complied with.
FEES
All fees and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee rates are determined by the time spent on and type of case, and also the drugs, materials and consumables used. Our fees are available upon request. You can also request a detailed fee note for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us.
NEW CLIENTS/OPENING AN ACCOUNT
New clients are required to pay in advance or at the time of the visit either by cash or debit/credit card for the services or goods provided until an account has been opened and approved. We reserve the right to verify all new clients’ credit rating with a credit reference agency. Certain procedures may require payment in advance, such as vettings, routine appointments, surgical procedures or emergency visits.
ESTIMATES OF TREATMENT COSTS
Written estimates are available on request and are approximate and subject to change due to clinical variability.
EQUINE HEALTH INSURANCE
Home Farm Equine supports the principle of insuring your horse against unexpected illness or accidents. However, we are unable to recommend specific policies. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company, unless by prior arrangement with Home Farm Equine.
PAYMENT
METHODS OF PAYMENT
We accept the following methods of payment:
- CASH
- DEBIT CARD – Mastercard, Visa, Delta
- CREDIT CARD £10.00 minimum amount - N.B. WE DO NOT ACCEPT AMERICAN EXPRESS
- ELECTRONIC TRANSFER (BACS)
- A/C No: 73511693
- Sort Code: 20-50-21. (Please put name and invoice number as reference.)
SETTLEMENT TERMS
Home Farm Equines terms are PAYMENT IN ADVANCE OR ON THE DAY for all routine appointments including;
· All vaccines
· Passporting/Microchip
· Oral examinations, teeth rasps, wolf tooth removal
· Prescription charge
· Drugs for dispensing
· Castration
· 1st Gastroscope (Subsequent to be paid at time if not going via insurance)
· Pre-purchase Examinations (Vettings)
On the day payment can be made via cash, debit or credit card, or BACS.
Unpaid debts may be referred for recovery. Reasonable recovery costs may be added where permitted by law.
Where the client acts in the course of business, statutory interest may be claimed under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
Overdue sums may incur interest at 4% above Bank of England base rate and reasonable recovery costs.
Services may be suspended until payment is up to date.
All unsettled accounts will receive a reminder after 30 days, if no payment is received following this reminder then a surcharge fee will be added to your account to cover administrations costs, subsequent late payment charges may also be added to your account to cover administration costs if the balance remains unpaid and no effort is made to rectify an overdue balance. After due notice to you the client, all overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency, and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collection of the debt (e.g. Correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls etc.) Any Cheque or Debit Card payments not honored, or any Cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored with interest on the principal sum.
If you have received a letter from Home Farm Equine informing you that your account is under new payment terms of ‘payment on the day’, you are required to settle all invoices prior to, or at the time of visit. Failure to pay this within 24 hours of your visit will result in a late payment fee surcharge of added to cover administrations costs. Subsequent reminders will be sent every 14 days thereafter with further interest charged (Commercial Debts Regulations 2002). After due notice to you the client, all overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency, and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collection of the debt (e.g. Correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls etc.) You may be notified of suspension of your account, where we will provide emergency care and pain relief only, or your account may be terminated with us. You will be given a 7 day notice period to find an alternative vet.
INABILITY TO PAY
If for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified in the terms and conditions above, we ask that you discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of our support staff. Please note that instalments or part payments of any account may only be sanctioned with express permission of Matthew Barlow.
PRE-PURCHASE EXAMINATIONS
For pre-purchase examinations (including radiographs if requested) all fees must be paid in advance. If payment is not received by the morning the pre-purchase examination is due to take place then Home Farm Equine reserve the right to cancel a booking without notice.
MEDICINES AND PRESCRIPTIONS (RCVS-ALIGNED)
Prescribing
Prescription-only veterinary medicines (POM-V) may be supplied only under a valid VCPR and following clinical assessment.
We may require re-examination before supplying repeat medication, in accordance with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Code, if your equine has not been seen in the previous 6 months.
Written prescriptions
Clients may request a written prescription for medicines to be dispensed elsewhere.
A prescription fee will apply of £15.00
We may refuse a prescription where clinically inappropriate or where animal welfare would be compromised.
Medicine returns
We cannot accept returns of dispensed medicines for reuse or refund, except where legally permitted (e.g. dispensing error). If you require any medication to be disposed of then we can take this to dispose of them securely.
POSTAGE OF DRUGS
All drugs sent in the mail will be posted as special delivery by 1pm, this will be charged in-line with Royal Mail costs. An additional charge of £1.50 will be added onto the normal postage charges for post and packaging.
BOOKING APPOINTMENTS
A time frame of 1 hour will be given, the vet will aim to arrive with you within this time slot however external factors may impact this such as traffic, previous appointments being more complex than anticipated and running over, emergencies, etc. Will will always endeavor, when possible, to update you should the appointment be significantly later than advised, however it is advisory to account for 30 minutes grace either side of the time slot given under normal circumstances.
CANCELLATIONS
A minimum of 24 hours notice must be given for a cancellation of appointment, a standard visit fee (currently £46.00) will be applied if you do not attend your appointment or cancel with less than 24hrs notice to appointment time.
OWNERSHIP OF RECORDS AND RADIOGRAPHS ETC
The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations e.g. Radiography or Ultrasound Scans. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record e.g. Radiographs remain the property of the practice. Images may be sent to you or a third party at your request once the images have been paid for in full.
ZERO TOLERANCE
We operate a zero-tolerance policy toward abusive or threatening behavior.
We may terminate the professional relationship in such cases. Written notice will be provided. Emergency care will continue for up to 7 days where animal welfare requires, allowing time to register with another practice.
DISPUTES
Fee or service disputes must be raised in writing within 14 days of the invoice date. Disputes sent after this time frame will be addressed but the amount remains payable.
All undisputed amounts remain payable.
Any dispute over fees/services presented must be put in writing to the Practice Manager within 14 days’ of receiving the invoice. Where any dispute is not proven and as a result the payment is late, then the Overdue Accounts procedure will become effective. Therefore, clients are always advised to settle their accounts on time, and if there is a dispute this payment being made without prejudice.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
We welcome all feedback, positive and negative, therefore if you wish to make a complaint, all complaints must be made in writing to:
Matthew Barlow, Home Farm Equine, 22 Fern Road, Cropwell Bishop, Nottingham, NG12 3BU
or via email to info@homefarmequine.co.uk FAO Practice Manager.
You will receive notification of receipt of your complaint within 7 working days. We advise a response time frame of 30 working days from date of confirmation receipt to ensure sufficient time to investigate your concerns.
DATA PROTECTION
We process personal data for veterinary care and administration in accordance with UK data protection law.
Client data is used for:
- veterinary care
- communication
- billing and administration
THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DO NOT AFFECT YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS
No addition or variation of these terms and conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by Matthew Barlow. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way. These terms may be updated periodically. The current version is available from the Practice.
This letter details Home Farm Equine's Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of these terms and conditions may not be relevant to you however if you need a further explanation or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
GOVERNING LAW
These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
